11 Reasons Why You Should Be Keeping A Pack Of Dryer Sheets In Your Kitchen
While dryer sheets do an excellent job of removing static cling and imparting a fresh scent to the laundry in your dryer, they can actually be used for so much more in your home. This versatile product is also quite affordable, so you'll be saving money when you utilize the dryer sheets to complete a variety of chores and cleaning tasks in your kitchen. Since the dryer sheets are so easy to use, you can even hand a few to the kids and get them to join in on the fun.
Just a few of the ways a box of dryer sheets can be used in a kitchen include deodorizing a trash can, removing stuck-on foods from glass stovetops, lifting away dust from baseboards, and restoring shine to all of your stainless steel appliances. Once you see all of the ways dryer sheets make cleaning a kitchen easier, you'll never go back to your old ways of washing dishes, freshening the air, and lifting away crayon marks when your little one gets a bit carried away.
Restore shine to stainless steel appliances
Stainless steel appliances are quite attractive when they aren't covered with food smudges, dust, or a child's fingerprints. While many cleaning products on the market do an excellent job of removing these blemishes, they can leave stainless steel looking rather dull. Surprisingly, you'll find a $2 box of dryer sheets from Walmart is all you need to restore a beautiful shine to your refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher.
When using this stainless steel cleaning hack, there are a few things you'll need to keep in mind. For starters, it's always best to wipe down your appliances with a dryer sheet in the direction of the grain. You can use either a brand new sheet, or save money by reusing a sheet you just pulled out of the dryer. Once you've finished shining your kitchen appliances, you can move on to the other stainless steel items in your home, such as your doorknobs, faucet, or toaster.
Remove burnt foods and stains from glass stovetops
Glass stove tops are a bit easier to clean than traditional stoves, thanks to their flat surface. However, they are still prone to burnt stuck-on foods and sauce stains that require a little more elbow grease to remove. One way to eliminate the need for vigorous scrubbing is to use a dryer sheet. Dryer sheets get glass stove tops clean and shiny again in no time at all. They contain conditioning ingredients that not only soften your clothing, but the stuck-on foods on your stove as well.
To tackle stuck-on foods and stains, simply wet the dryer sheets and set them over the soiled area. Make sure the area is fully covered by the dryer sheet. Wait 10 minutes and then check to see if the burnt foods have softened. Tough stains may take as long as 40 minutes. Once the foods have become soft and loose, you can scrub them away using the dryer sheets. Rinse the area with a clean cloth or paper towel and you're all done!
Soften stuck-on foods in pots and pans
Certain dishes require higher heat to prepare, which may leave bits of the food stuck on the cookware. Just like the glass stovetops, dryer sheets work to soften the stuck-on foods in pots and pans. Dryer sheets are preferred when cleaning dirty dishes, as they won't scratch the surface of your cookware like wool pads often do. Additionally, by taking the time to weaken the food's attachment to your pots and pans, you'll spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying the company of your family after a delicious meal.
Grab your soiled pots and pans and place a dryer sheet in each one. Fill the cookware with hot water and let it sit overnight. Once morning arrives, you'll be able to grab the dryer sheet and use it like a washcloth to release all of the stuck-on foods. Afterward, wash the pots and pans with a little dish soap and hot water as you normally would (or set them in your dishwasher if they are dishwasher-safe). Tip: This hack also works to remove gunk from oven racks.
Add fragrance to artificial flowers
When you decorate your kitchen table with a vase full of artificial flowers, you don't have to worry about the blooms wilting or dying after a few days. The downside to using fake flowers is that you don't get the attractive fragrance that is present with the blooms from your garden. To add a pleasant scent, you need look no further than a package of dryer sheets. These sheets come in a variety of fragrances, such as lavender, rose, jasmine, and vanilla bean. You may even be able to find a scent that matches the type of flowers in your bouquet.
Once you have selected your dryer sheets, take one sheet out of the package and place it with your artificial bouquet. If the vase is colored, you can push the sheet down inside the vase or wrap it around the flower stems. Should the bouquet be in a glass vase, you'll need to press it in between the largest flowers to hide it from view. You can fold the dryer sheet up if need be. Simply replace the sheet when the scent begins to fade.
Remove crayon and scuff marks from tables, countertops, and flooring
Whether you have small children at home, run a nursery, or entertain visits from your nieces and nephews, you're bound to end up with a few crayon or scuff marks on your kitchen table during craft time. These marks don't come off with just a wet washcloth and a little bit of dish soap. You'll need to run to the laundry room and grab a dryer sheet. Dryer sheets work like an eraser, easily lifting away all of the marks on your table.
To remove any crayon or scuff marks on your kitchen table, simply grab a dryer sheet and wipe it back and forth over the stain. It should come right up, but if you're working on a large area, you'll need to swap out the used dryer sheet for a new one when it no longer slides across the table with ease. This hack also works on countertops, walls, and flooring; however, it should only be used on painted walls, as it has the ability to release wallpaper.
Deodorize kitchen trash cans
Kitchen trash can quickly become odorous, and if you dine at a kitchen table, this can be quite off putting. While sprinkling baking soda at the bottom of your garbage can will help, it can be messy to clean up, especially if there's a spill. Fortunately, there's another option that works just as well to deodorize a kitchen trash can without the threat of a mess: dryer sheets. Dryer sheets are able to absorb unpleasant smells, while also emitting a more desirable scent.
Choose a pack of dryer sheets based on the scent you'd like to add to your kitchen space. You'll find floral options are available in abundance, as well as sheets that remind you of an ocean breeze or clean cotton. After tossing your current bag of kitchen scraps into an outdoor garbage bin, toss a dryer sheet in the bottom of the trash can. Add a new bag and you're good to go. Replace the dryer sheet each time you take out a full bag of garbage. Tip: Add a second dryer sheet if you have an oversized kitchen trash can.
Remove dust from pantry shelves, blinds, and baseboards
Dust in a home is inevitable. According to WebMD, 20 million Americans suffer from a dust allergy, which makes tackling this dreaded chore a must. While setting up a purifier that is equipped with a HEPA filter will help reduce dust levels, it can't eliminate them. As long as you have a stack of dryer sheets handy, you'll be able to quickly wipe dust away from pantry shelves, blinds, ceiling fans, and baseboards. This is all thanks to the dryer sheets' ability to attract and trap the dust.
To quickly remove dust from your pantry shelves, grab a few used dryer sheets and begin wiping. The dust will come right up, so you can commence cleaning the shelves using your favorite product. Next, move on to the dust on your blinds and ceiling fans. You can either complete this task by hand using a step stool, or by securing the dryer sheet to the end of a pole that will help you reach the high spots. Finally, you can clean dust, food particles, and pet hair from baseboards using the end of your vacuum attachment. Simply drape the dryer sheet over the end of the vacuum attachment and secure it in place with a rubber band. Turn the vacuum on and begin cleaning your baseboards.
Add a fresh scent to cabinet drawers
Over time, kitchen cabinet drawers can begin to smell a bit stale. Giving them a good washing using ingredients like baking soda and white distilled vinegar will help, but it won't keep the drawers smelling fresh very long. Remarkably, in addition to keeping your kitchen sparkling clean, dryer sheets can also be used to add a fresh scent and a bit of moisture control to your cabinet drawers. Each time you open the drawer, you'll be greeted with a pleasant aroma.
There are two ways to use dryer sheets in a set of kitchen cabinet drawers. You can tape a sheet to the back of the drawer, or you can lay one underneath each of your utensil trays. It's best not to put your silverware, plates, or cups directly on the dryer sheets though, as they do contain chemicals that you don't want to ingest. Every two weeks, remove and toss the dryer sheets and replace them with fresh sheets.
Soften and remove melted wax from a microwave
Creating your own candles from scratch is quite rewarding. The candles can be gifted to friends or used on the kitchen table to create a romantic atmosphere for an anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, melting wax in the microwave to construct the homemade candles can become quite messy. Wax is quick to harden once it cools a bit, making it even more difficult to remove. One of the simplest hacks involves the use of a dryer sheet.
All of this also applies to wax spills outside of the microwave. If the wax is still liquid, you can sop some of it up with a paper towel sheet first. Then grab a dryer sheet and begin scrubbing the rest of the wax. It's best to move the sheet in a circular motion. Depending on the size of the mess, you may need to use a few sheets to get the job done. You can use both sides of a dryer sheet before swapping it out for a new one. Once all of the wax has been successfully removed, wash the microwave with a little dish soap and water as you normally would.
Sharpen kitchen scissors
Kitchen scissors are perfect for cutting everything from fresh herbs to boneless chicken to food packages. Just like your kitchen knives, the blades of the scissors will begin to dull after a bit of use. If you don't have a sharpening stone on hand to restore the sharpness of the blades, you can actually use a dryer sheet to accomplish this task instead.
Begin caring for your scissors by wiping down the blades with a dryer sheet. This will remove any dust, oil, or food debris. After the blades have been cleaned, grab a new dryer sheet and start cutting it up with the kitchen scissors. Doing this will work to sharpen the blades. Depending on how dull the blades are, you may need to cut through several dryer sheets before you see results. Repeat this chore once a month to keep your blades ready to prep your favorite foods.
Wipe up powdery food spills
Whether you're using flour to bake cookies or cinnamon to prepare a delicious pan of baked apples, you're bound to get some of the powdery food on the kitchen counter. Some may even spill over onto the floor. It may be instinct to reach for a paper towel to clean up this type of mess, but there's one product that will do a much better job. Dryer sheets are designed to grab small particles, like dust, so they can be used to attract and trap powdery food spills.
After a spill occurs, grab a dryer sheet and begin wiping over the mess. If the mess covers a large area, you'll need to use a few dryer sheets. Toss the sheets in the trash once the area is clear of the powdery food and then wipe down the counter using a little dish soap and hot water. This is necessary when working with food, as the dryer sheets do contain chemicals that are best not ingested.